Green Thumb

Lately, I’ve been in this really green thumb mood. Gotta be honest though….my thumb is more to the darker green side than the vibrant, plant green side—lol. Over the weekend, I did something that I never do……repotted my two little plants. Wait, actually I repotted one plant and bought another one and just changed the pot. I’ve never been really into plants. I’d pick fresh flowers any day over plants. But I have this Peace Lily that I’ve been raising over the last few years and it’s growing like wild flowers so, not knowing that much about plants, the least I know is when a plant needs more space to grow.

Spiritually, I’ve been studying the seed over the last few months. The revelation the Lord has given me concerning the seed---that is…the real seed, not money (lol)---is so amazing. Almost so that I can’t even break down what I’m learning in this blog and so I’m really praying about publishing it into a book. My first book (smile). We’ll see. To gain a full understanding of the seed in which I, as a human, can grasp requires learning the natural, as well as the spiritual process. And so I’ve been really getting into botany and biology to understand the natural growth process. Then I refer to the Word to gain a Spiritual understanding. It’s really deep. Especially how the seed relates to plants, child birth, and of course…..the Holy Spirit.

Ironically, something amazing happened to me yesterday concerning plants and I could hear the Lord giving me spiritual revelation as it was unfolding. Since I’ve been working here in the Federal government, I’ve gained somewhat of popularity because of…….my office plants (lol). I’d like to think that the work I do speaks volumes, but uhhhh……..lol. Anyway, when I first started working here, which was close to nine years ago, I admired my former boss’ plant. I can’t even tell you what type of plant it was because….I don’t know. And I didn’t care. I just thought it was very beautiful.

In my first week on the job, I gained an office mom. And so she revealed to me that she was the one who took care of my boss’ plants. So one day my office mom was repotting my boss’ plants and she took a piece of the plant and put it in some soil for me. I don’t even remember asking her for a piece. She just surprised me with a cute little orange flower pot (my favorite color) with a piece of the plant in it. That one little plant sat in the same place on my desk for the first five years on the job. And every time somebody would walk pass they would compliment my plant.

In those first five years, I use to joke with my colleagues saying that the plant represented my growth on the job. Cause I went from assisting the Director (while earning my master’s) to managing one of Bush’s infamous initiatives. In addition to that, I’m learning humility and self-control and how to deal with all types of folk and so many other character-building lessons. A real growth process. And so that plant has grown with me. And it just keeps growing and going with me. I changed desks, offices, and floors in the last nine years more than I change my bed sheets--lol. It’s just been constant growth---each situation getting better and better. And so that plant has been with me since the beginning.

Now things are a little different with that one little plant. It’s grown so much that not only is it touching the ceiling---very much a tree---but it has had babies. And grandbabies—lol. I’ve had so many admirers over the years that when my plant got repotted, it would be so large that I’d give pieces of it away. Ok, I didn’t…..my office mom did/does all the work—lol. But she’d ask my permission first before giving my stuff away—lol. As a result of all that growth, I’ve managed to keep the original plant and two of its well-grown and flourishing babies.

But yesterday, a colleague, Marsha, from another office came up and said…….. “Jill I was admiring Tabitha’s plant and she said that it came from your plant.” Ok, again, I don’t maintain my plants so once my office mom repots it could very well be true that a number of folk could get a piece of it. It’s a trickle effect—lol. So I listened to Marsha as she marveled while touching my plants. She was real frank with me. She said…. “Jill I need a piece of your plant.” She said that every time she comes up and passes through my office she "loves on" my plants. Even going as far to say that I have the best plants in the building! I was looking real dumb cause uhhhh, I only water these bad billies when I want to empty my stale drinking water to get a fresh cup--lol. Seriously. So I listened and was really opened to giving her a piece but I had one problem……I’m not the maintainer so I couldn’t give her nothing!!!

So I told Marsha who was really responsible for all of my beautiful plants and so we called my office mom around to my desk. As soon as my office mom got her, I sat back so that they could discuss green life. Their conversation at one point was going way above my head. So I just sat back and listened. Trying to learn a thing or two. But then Marsha told my office mom that all she needed to do was break off a piece of the top and that she’d put it in water. Then my ears perked up. I knew breaking off a piece from the top could very well sustain in water cause I have a colleague who has a piece of my plant on her desk sitting in water. It’s beautiful. And it’s been sitting there looking beautiful for the last several years. And if that’s all Marsha wanted then I was like……let's just break her off a piece.

But then Marsha said……. “I want my plants to look like Jill’s.” And then my office mom chimed in and said……. “Oh, then you would have to get it from the root!!” At this point I was in my chair praising God in my head. I kept saying over and over…….thank you Lord!!! And so my office Mom told Marsha that it wouldn’t be easy cause she would have to take the plant apart. I was all for it. And Marsha was too. She said she was patient. Cause she knew what she wanted. She said……. “ok, whenever I'm just claiming my piece first.” My office mom told her that she’d come in early this morning and do it. I just sat back and listened. I was taking it all in.

Last night as I was spending some time with the Lord He just began revealing this plant thing to me. See, I’m just a willing vessel. I admired the growth I saw someone else had, and so I inquired. And I opened myself up to receive. I did NOTHING but accept the gift by displaying it. Even when I fall short, watering the gift when it’s convenient for me, God is still there. He’s still faithful. Because when I’m not even around, He’s watering and maintaining. The only instructions He gave me is to…….spread the gospel and to love my bretheren. That is to display and share. Show His beauty and share it with others. Be an example and walk upright before men, so that they will want what I was given. We ain't talking bout no conceited, "I'm better than others cause I got what you can't get mess." Not at all. I'm talking about just showing the goodness of God. Cause even when I want to take credit for these beautiful plants……I can’t!! Cause it’s not me doing none of this.

Then the Lord revealed another thing. Marsha could have very well taken the top piece. And she would have gotten it immediately, and went on with her green life. IF it even survives, having the top piece doesn’t require nothing but putting it in water and changing the water when it gets dirty. But the only growth it will have is downward--again that's if it survives. My other colleague’s plant is beautiful on the outside, but the leaves and vines are just sprouted all over her file cabinet, very limp. To many, her plant is perfect because she doesn’t have to spend time replanting and repotting, and getting all messy. But to some of us…..her plant serves no purpose because she can’t share it.

See, now I’m about to preach---lol. But when you know what you are missing and know what you want you are willing to go through whatever process to get long-term results. Soooo many folk take the easy road out maintaining in water! God forbid that beautiful vase spill over….cause not only will the vase break but the little liquid that is maintaining you will be gone too. It’s so temporary. But when you are PLANTED in the soil your growth is upward and you can see life. A quality life.

This morning when I got in I opened my email and there was a message from Marsha. She simply said…… “Jill, thank you so much for the plant.” And I replied with a simple…… “Anytime, enjoy the growth.” When I looked around at all three plants I couldn’t even tell which one had been touched. There was no dirt residue and I couldn’t even tell if there were any leaves missing. Then the Lord spoke to me clearly and said……. “See, it costs you NOTHING to share what I have given you.”

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. –Hebrews 13:15-16

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” –Luke 6:43-45